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My Toxic Business Partner: Redefining Our Relationship

Written by Doug Phares on . Posted in Blog, Business Development.

In business, you’ll often have one or many partners. These can take a lot of different forms, including formal partnerships, employer-employee relationships, large work groups of your peers, or even the c-suite. But even if you’re Bob Iger, I can assure you that you partner with other individuals with whom you have a regular working relationship.

Early on in my career I found myself with a peer who made an excellent partner. There were four of us in this role, but he and I had the same manner of thinking. We ran similar divisions and were highly compatible, and he ended up being one of the best business partners I ever had. While we had different skillsets, there was a lot of mutual respect, and we each found ways to use our differences to grow.

Most successful business relationships work this way. But things don’t always go so smoothly. In the blogosphere, you’ll often hear a lot of discussion about how you can get into a personal relationship with someone only to realize that they were the wrong choice. Sometimes it can be difficult to escape these situations.

Business relationships can also have that aspect. I’d challenge you to consider whether you might have a toxic business partner in your life. I don’t mean somebody who reports to you; I mean a peer who is consistently doing the wrong things, bringing negative energy, or coaching you in a way that isn’t helping to build you up and bring out your best work.

I recently realized that my toxic business partner is the clock. I write about time a lot, and it recently occurred to me that a lot of that interest is rooted in my own toxic relationship with it. What I’ve learned is that if I allow this business partner to talk to me about going faster or being more efficient or lambast me for not getting enough done, it will only create an anxiety spiral and lead to sub-optimal decision making. 

I’m not the only one who notices this. People I work with often notice when I’m pushing especially hard on something, and it’s almost always because my toxic business partner is in my ear. And the look I usually get in response is one that says, “Why are we making this a big deal right now?”

I’ve learned to be sensitive to that kind of response. It lets me know that I may be listening to the wrong voice right now and may need to rethink my motivation and consider listening to another voice instead.

Perhaps this particular example is an unconventional business partnership, but the core truth is still there. If your partner isn’t adding to you or their influence is reductive, then to be the best version of yourself, you may need to redefine or terminate your relationship with that individual.

Since I haven’t discovered the means to transcend time (yet), so I can’t end my relationship with the clock. But I can redefine our relationship and be more selective in when and if I choose to listen to that voice. I read and workshop a lot of ideas — some work, and some don’t. But I’ve grown enough to realize that if I can’t quell my toxic partner’s voice, then I’m not going to make the best decisions that I can.

So what’s your challenge, and how are you going to make sure that a toxic business partner isn’t holding you back from reaching your potential?

The Most Useful Definition of “Fit”

Written by Lili Foggle on . Posted in Blog, CIC.

“It wasn’t a good fit.” It’s one of the most common phrases in hiring, and one of the least defined. We use it to explain decisions that feel intuitive but are rarely articulated. Candidates hear it after rejection, hiring teams use it to justify a choice, and coaches are expected to prepare clients for it. And yet, ask five people what “fit” actually means, and you’ll get five different answers. That’s a problem, because fit is not vague, it’s not subjective, and it’s definitely not interchangeable with value.

Fit has become a catch-all, and in practice, it often functions as a placeholder for whatever someone wants it to mean in the moment. A recruiter might use it to mean, “Do they have the competencies we need?” A hiring manager might be thinking, “Will they blend in with the team?” Someone in HR may be considering whether the candidate adds something the team is missing. And sometimes, “fit” gets used for things no one wants to say out loud. When a term starts carrying that many meanings, it stops being useful, and when we coach from a catch-all, we’re not preparing our clients for what actually drives hiring decisions.

 

What It Isn’t

Let’s be clear about what fit is not, because this is where the confusion starts. A lack of fit is not “the vibes were off.” That’s likability. A lack of fit is not “they didn’t have the competencies we need.” That’s value. A lack of fit is not “we have enough women.” That’s discrimination. Fit is not a softer version of value. It is a different signal entirely, and when we blur that line, we confuse both ourselves and our clients.

If we coach fit incorrectly, we are missing the signal that matters most after the initial rounds. Research consistently shows that when employees feel aligned with an organization’s values, they are more engaged, more committed, and more likely to stay. Conversely, a lack of alignment leads to lower performance and higher turnover.  And turnover is expensive. Replacing an employee can cost anywhere from 6 – 24 months of their salary, with indirect costs that can easily double or triple that number. Companies know this, which is why fit isn’t just a “nice to have.” For them, it’s a risk management decision. If you only assess value, you miss the characteristic that most strongly predicts long-term success and retention.

Where fit decides outcomes is not in the first round. Early interviews are focused on value. Can this person do the job? Deliver results?  Solve the problems we need solved? By the time a candidate reaches the final round, those questions have already been answered. Everyone left in the process can do the job. That’s when the decision shifts. Now the question becomes who they want to invest in, who is most likely to succeed in this specific environment, and who will stay, contribute, and align with how the team operates. This is where fit becomes the differentiator.

 

What It Is

So what is fit? Fit is the specific, research-backed alignment with the core values that unite and motivate the team you would be joining. This isn’t surface-level admiration or repeating language from a company’s website. It’s alignment – something that is real, specific, and believable. At its core, fit speaks to intrinsic motivation. It answers why this team, why this work, and why it matters to you in a way that goes beyond the job description. Hiring teams are selecting someone who wants to do this job, with them, in this environment.

Why this definition wins offers comes down to a question that gets asked in almost every interview: why us? The right fit message communicates something deeper than capability. It shows that the candidate will care about the work, they are motivated by what the team is trying to do, and they are likely to stay and persevere when the job gets hard. It shifts the candidate from “qualified” to “committed,” and in a final round where everyone is qualified, that distinction matters.

The coaching gap is that as coaches, we are very good at teaching value, but we often fall short when it comes to fit. We help clients identify their strengths, build stories, and communicate impact with specificity and clarity. But when we coach “why do you want to work here,” we often turn it into another value answer, or we accept vague responses and hope they land. 

They don’t. 

This is the moment where strong candidates quietly lose. Not because they lack value, but because they never clearly communicate why they belong.

We help our clients win when we stop coaching fit as value and start coaching it as alignment. If your client’s answer could be said about any company, it isn’t fit. If it doesn’t clearly explain why this specific team matters to them, it won’t differentiate them. 

I’ve often said that interviews are a competition with a single winner. Value gets your client into the final round, but fit is what gets them the offer.

How to Build a Career Coaching Business

Written by Diane Hudson on . Posted in Blog, Business Development, Career Coaching, CPCC.

Many of my Certified Professional Career Coaches ask me how to build a career coaching business. 

Building a business is akin to a job search and career management.

I coach clients seeking to build a business, much like a job search client. Instead of a résumé, the client may need a prospectus instead, for example. However, for government contracts, the client may need a past-performance résumé. A job seeker and a business developer will need a LinkedIn profile. 

I use Diane’s 5 P’s as the structure for the coaching program and constructing the business development plan, and I ask a lot of decision-defining questions:

Purpose * Planning * Preparation * Practice * Perseverance

 

Purpose: 

  • What is the purpose of the business? 
  • What is your purpose in delivering the services and products you intend to deliver?
  • What value will you deliver to clients?
  • What are your goals and objectives?

These questions are helpful in developing marketing messages and branding statements for the new company.

 

Planning:

  • Will you be a sole proprietorship or LLC? Why? (An LLC protects the client from losing personal assets in the case of being sued; an LLC requires an EIN and payroll; a sole proprietor requires careful monitoring of income to formulate quarterly tax payments.)
  • What is the name of your business?
  • Does the business have a logo?
  • Will you have an attorney, bookkeeper, accountant, webmaster, or Virtual Assistant?
  • Will you be a virtual business or a brick-and-mortar? Why?
  • Will you provide services to a local community or globally?
  • Who is your client population? (College graduates, mid-level professionals, executives, military?)
  • What services will you produce?
  • What fees will you charge? (Have you prepared a budget analysis to determine your minimum hourly rate?)
  • What is your budget for marketing, professional development, membership dues, conferences, website maintenance, utilities, rent, insurance (umbrella, liability, omissions), phone, and service expenses (attorney, bookkeeper, accountant, website maintenance)?
  • Will you provide/deliver à la carte services or bundle packages? 
  • What does a career coaching package look like? (How many hours will you coach face-to-face, and how many hours will you engage in back-end services, like writing a résumé and reviewing an assessment tool?
  • How will you market your business? (Via social media, at local conferences, via your website, via a faith-based organization, Chamber of Commerce, or library?)
  • How will you manage bookkeeping and accounting (QuickBooks/similar app managed by you or a bookkeeper and tax accountant)?
  • Did you open a bank account (savings and checking) and a business credit card in the company name?

 

Preparation (The checklist):

  • Secure a business name with GoDaddy or a similar company.
  • Register the business name with the state you live in.
  • Prepare the LLC application or hire an attorney to help with the process.
  • Develop a budget and profit and loss projection.
  • Prepare a business summary detailing all of the business’s objectives and purpose. 
  • Plan to save 30% of all income for taxes. Any funds left over after taxes can be used for capital expenditures, savings, or owner draws. 
  • Secure a web site designer and web master for hosting and maintenance.
  • Decide on the service and product offerings and attach prices.
  • Develop a past-performance résumé, prospectus, and LinkedIn profile, as well as business cards for in-person meetings. 
  • Develop marketing packages to deliver to potential client companies. 
  • Purchase the required company assets: computer, printer, phone.
  • Purchase insurance (some companies and government agencies require a $1M insurance policy if you train on their property or travel for their projects).
  • Open bank accounts.
  • Open a credit card account.
  • Select a credit card service for the company, e.g., Square, PayPal, QuickBooks, other.
  • Create a file system / or purchase a file system, calendar system, and online meeting platform.

 

Practice:

  • Ensure the company name is registered. 
  • Review website development.
  • Continually develop marketing and decide where and how to begin the marketing launch (consider marketing options like Google ads and click-throughs, writing blogs for companies to attract your client population, writing LI articles/features, joining LI groups, and attending conferences and association meetings. Talk to your web designer for marketing ideas and speak to a marketing agency if your budget allows for it).
  • Be credible and visible by engaging on LinkedIn, posting on the website, and offering to post articles and blogs on client population-specific websites.
  • Attend conferences and join associations.
  • Begin career coaching with new clients to gain experience and confidence.
  • Build a support network.
  • Draft a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). Use the SOP as an operational guide for someone who might need to run the business while you are away (sick, traveling, on sabbatical, incapacitated). A SOP should be written such that anyone reading it can fill in for a few days, weeks, or even months. 
  • Consider adding a very trusted person as a manager on an LLC to manage in your absence. This status allows the designated person to speak with official entities such as the IRS, state, and bank, and to make decisions as needed. 
  • Don’t forget to complete annual requirements for an LLC, like the annual report on the state’s website.  

 

Perseverance

  • Be prepared to work more than 40 hours a week for the first couple of years to build a business.
  • Do not give up. Many failures, disappointments, slow starts, and errors turn into tremendously financially stable businesses over time. We learn from mistakes.
  • Reevaluate the business operations semiannually or annually. Monitor business cycles. Remove any services and products that do not generate revenue, and advance or elevate those that do. 

 

Building a business plan also enables the owner to more easily secure financing if needed, as it is written and details the business objectives. 

Building an entrepreneurial career coaching business is very rewarding. Following a business development plan makes the process much smoother and streamlined. A business plan outlines the process a new company needs to follow to achieve its goals and bring its ideas to reality.

Everything Affects Everything Else

Written by Jay Block on . Posted in Blog, CEMP.

  • Olivia did not complete the assignments her CPRW asked her to complete for a new resume after being unexpectedly downsized. She did not have a sizable severance package, so urgency was high. Why the delay in completing the assignments? 
  • Liam hired one of the top CPCC’s in the state, a coach with impressive experience.  Liam, a well-respected attorney, invested a good amount of money to work with this coach. That said, he forgot about his first scheduled meeting and had to postpone the second one. He promised to try to make the third. 
  • Mia, a recent college grad, hired a CSCC to help secure her first job out of college. She was excited and completed the assignments and arrived on time for the meeting with her coach. But the CSCC was surprised to see that the answers to the questions were not well thought out – they were rushed and not what was initially discussed.

 

Are any of these scenarios familiar? I think I’ve heard just about every excuse for not putting 100% into the job search. At first I thought it was laziness, fear, anxiety, or rejection avoidance.  And in some cases this was true. But for most job seekers, the real enemy to success was something else. Something more subtle and covert. And destructive.  

Disruptions Factors: A Primary Obstacle to a Successful Job Search

For many job seekers, the biggest challenge to a new job isn’t creating a winning résumé, networking, or preparing for interviews. The real challenge is something far sneakier… disruptions.   

Disruptions  are everywhere, and they creep in quietly and steal focus before job seekers even realize it. One minute they’re researching companies and the next minute they’re scrolling through social media, responding to a text, watching a news clip, or dealing with an unexpected family issue. Before they know it, the day is gone and the process of landing a new job hasn’t moved one inch forward.

Disruptions are the everyday interruptions and mental distractions that pull job seekers away from the focused effort required to land their next opportunity. And it’s an issue that must be acknowledged and addressed because everything affects everything else!

The job search process doesn’t fail because job seekers aren’t capable. It stalls because they aren’t fully focused and engaged because other issues dominate their lives. And when non-job search issues arise, it obviously affects the process of landing a new job. Disruptions  come in many forms. Some are obvious, while others operate quietly in the shadows. But one thing’s for certain… both are saboteurs of employment.  

Family and Friends

Family and friends are essential support systems, but they can also unintentionally become distraction factors. A family member needs help during the day. The kids need to be driven to and picked up from school, when normally, there would be other means to that end. A friend phones to chat. Someone asks the job seeker to run a quick errand or two because “they’re not working right now”. Individually, these moments seem harmless. But collectively, they chip away at focus and momentum. 

Health and Well-Being

Physical and mental health also play a significant role. If a job seeker is feeling run-down, anxious, or overwhelmed, it becomes far more difficult to stay motivated and engaged in the job search. The process carries emotional weight – uncertainty, rejection, and financial concerns can all create stress. Poor sleep, lack of exercise, or ongoing health issues can further reduce energy and clarity and affect job search progress.  

It is not a career coach’s job to address health issues, but rather, to factor them in when planning a job search strategy. 

Digital Disruptions

Emails. Text messages. Social media. News alerts. Streaming services. YouTube rabbit holes.  Indeed, technology can be incredibly helpful, but it’s also designed to capture and hold attention away from one’s desired goal of securing employment. 

This is especially true when job seekers run into adversities and setbacks. It’s easy to find ways to avoid or delay the process of getting a job when they hit a brick wall. It’s easy to take short breaks that become long, destructive hiatuses. When the going gets tough, it’s easy to escape to the digital universe where procrastination takes over.

Television and Passive Entertainment

Television and streaming platforms add another layer of temptation. After spending an hour working on applications or researching companies, it’s easy to think, “I’ll just watch one episode.” But “one episode” often becomes an all-afternoon binge.

While relaxation is important, job seekers must make rest a necessity, not an objective.  

Momentum

Momentum is one of the most powerful forces in a job search. When job seekers remain mindfully engaged, opportunities begin to compound. Conversations lead to introductions. Applications lead to interviews. Interviews lead to offers. But when attention drifts, momentum dissipates. Career coaches can teach strategies to keep positive momentum moving forward, taking into consideration disruption factors. 

Coaching Strategies to Stay Ontrack

Resume pros and career coaches can teach coachable strategies where job seekers can reclaim and maintain their momentum, regardless of daily disruptions. Below are five practical tactics that coaches can incorporate into their current services… and get paid for. 

Designing a Future; Not Just a Search for a Job

Do job seekers see the big picture, that of designing their future (on their terms), rather than the smaller picture – getting a job simply to pay the bills? The first step is to help job seekers see the big picture because vision leads to action. Job seekers must set regular working hours for their job campaigns – perhaps 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM – lunch break for 90 minutes – then back to designing one’s future between 2:30 to 5:00. During those hours, job seekers treat the process exactly like professional work.  

This means no television, personal phone use, or social media during production time. Time can be set aside for these activities during scheduled lunch breaks or after ‘design your future’ activities are completed. When job seekers work a consistent schedule, with their future in mind, their brain begins to associate that time with disciplined, productive efforts.

Create a Dedicated Workspace

Environment matters. If a job seeker conducts their job search from the couch with the television nearby, disruptions are pretty much guaranteed. Instead, create a workspace that signals ‘focus mode.’ This could be a desk in a quiet room, a corner of one’s home office, a space in a library or coworking space. Space to think and take productive action. When job seekers physically work in a productive space, it reinforces their mindset that “it’s time to concentrate and design my future on my terms, with focused determination.”  

Control Digital Interruptions

Technology can either support or sabotage a job seeker’s productivity. During job search hours, they must silence unnecessary notifications, placing their phone on “Do Not Disturb,” closing unrelated browser tabs, and taking every precaution to restrict interruptions and disruptions. Some people even use website blockers to temporarily disable social media during work sessions.  Job seekers do not need to eliminate technology. They simply need to manage it intentionally. 

Break the Day Into Focused Sessions

Long stretches of work can be mentally exhausting. Instead, I suggest dividing the daily employment process into focused blocks of time.

For example:

  • 45 minutes researching companies 
  • 15-minute break 
  • 90 minutes networking outreach 
  • 30-minute break 
  • 45 minutes application submissions 

These cycles maintain energy and reduce burnout while keeping disruptions at bay. Short breaks actually improve concentration. BUT… I highly suggest using a timer to ensure a 15 minute break doesn’t go one minute beyond!

Prioritize Personal Well-Being

Productivity is closely tied to well-being. Regular exercise, good nutrition, and adequate sleep all strengthen mental focus and physical capabilities. Even a daily walk can improve clarity and mood. No, it’s not the job coach’s place to devise a health plan. But it is their job to make job seekers aware of this, and to take health into consideration when devising a job strategy. Not all candidates work at the same intensity and energy levels. A good question to ask job seekers is: “what can you do to increase your energy level?” Then explain why, and leave it up to them. 

 

The Bottom Line

Once resume writers and career coaches discuss and identify potential disruption factors with job seekers, they can then create a personalized job search strategy to achieve their workplace goals. Keep in mind that there are…

  1. Disruption factors that can be eliminated – like time spent on social media.
  2. Disruption factors that can’t be eliminated – like personal / family member health issues.
  3. Disruption factors that can be managed better – like time spent with friends. 

Everything affects everything else.  When resume pros and career coaches help their customers identify potential distraction factors, they can then develop a more reasonable and customized job search/resume strategy – with realistic timetables and expectation to achieve success.

Humans in the Hiring Process

Written by John Suarez on . Posted in Blog, Résumé Writing.

I found this recently on the back end of an online job application. The employer apparently uses ADP as their ATS, and the artificial intelligence link on the application revealed this disclosure:

 

“ADP’s Candidate Relevancy and Profile Relevance tools use artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to conduct an initial review of an application, and are designed to be utilized by employers as one tool, among others, in the hiring process. Specifically, Candidate Relevancy conducts a mathematical assessment of how close the skills, education and/or experience on an applicant’s résumé match the skills, education, and/or experience listed on the relevant job description.  This process quantifies the “relevance” between the applicant’s résumé and the job posting. The Candidate Relevancy model also leverages past decisions derived from millions of résumés and job descriptions where the selection decision is already known.”

 

Translation: The software can assign a numerical score that reflects how well the candidate matches the advertised job further. And apparently, legal guidelines are driving all of this:

 

New York City Local Law 144, enacted on December 11, 2021, regulates the use of automated employment decision tools (AEDT). It prohibits employers and employment agencies from using these tools unless they have undergone a bias audit within the past year, and the results of this audit are publicly available. Additionally, employers must provide certain notices to employees or job candidates regarding the use of these tools. The law aims to ensure transparency and fairness in hiring practices, addressing potential biases in automated systems.

 

Translation: Guardrails for potential bias and transparency are being built into the way AI is used in hiring practices. ADP’s disclosure states what is NOT intended:

 

Candidate Relevancy is not intended by ADP to be relied upon solely by employers in making employment decisions and is not meant to substantially assist or replace discretionary decision making in employment decisions. Moreover, Candidate Relevancy is not intended to be used as a criterion that is weighted more than any other criterion in making employment decisions and is not intended to be used to overrule conclusions derived from other factors, including human decision-making.

 

Translation: Humans are meant to be part of the process, assisted by AI. The true intent is stated this way:

 

Candidate Relevancy is intended to be one source of assistance in helping to prioritize candidates selected for next steps. Education, skills, and experience must be evaluated and validated by employers through person-to-person interviews and background checks, among other things. Candidate Relevancy is not intended to replace human judgment during any step of the recruitment process and is designed in such a way that there are no cut-off scores that would eliminate candidates from being visible to employers in the user interface. Employers are thereby provided access to all candidates, enabling them to make human decisions on which candidates to pursue.

 

This is one ATS; there are hundreds on the market. ADP claims that its platform “works alongside you and your people, making HR more strategic, efficient, and human-centered at every stage.” 

A human-centered tool still requires algorithmic literacy, ethical awareness, and a willingness to slow down when needed. An ATS can support this whole human-centered hiring approach if the organizations that use them keep asking: “Who decides?”, “By what logic?”, and “Under what pressure?” Clearly, those answers suggest that human oversight will be part of the equation going forward. 

Does any of this have any bearing on the way you approach résumé writing? Does any of this put pressure on the résumé writing community to advance a human-centered approach of its own? Curious to know where you stand.

A Hiring Reality Check

Written by Margaret Phares on . Posted in Blog.

Recently, I set out to fill a very straightforward role—part-time, flexible, and well within reach for many qualified professionals. What I didn’t expect was a concrete display of “why actual résumé writers are so valuable!” I reached out through a limited number of channels about the opening, a mentor group of business people in my area, the PARWCC member group, and some friends. 

And then it started. Gorgeous résumés from PARWCC members and garbage from everyone else.  Paaaaages of grey type, never ending paragraphs, “responsible for” to start every long bullet point and other useless information that made me say “no.” Immediately.  

What was also not surprising but interesting to see in “real-time” was how easily even I could spot the use of AI. I’m not a recruiter or hiring manager, so I’m sure if *I* could see it, anyone who has looked at as many career documents as they have must be able to spot them a mile away. 

But AI isn’t the problem. In fact, it can be a powerful tool in the hands of a skilled professional. I’ve talked with many PARWCC members and listened to conversations about how to use it well. But the average job seeker isn’t a skilled professional when it comes to AI for creating their hiring documents. 

I listened in on the Résumé Insights with John Suarez and as always the “human touch” on career documents came up. One attendee (Hi Laura!) had a client who brought in an AI-generated résumé. The provider took just ONE bullet point from the AI résumé and rewrote it as a way to demonstrate the difference. And it was a powerful way to really show what it means to be skilled in the writing of these documents.  

Coaches – you aren’t out of the game here because the way each potential candidate came to me was another interesting exploration in what hiring managers and recruiters must go through.  Most people were very polite, a few respectful words to introduce themselves and their résumé and done. Then the “not so polite” folks. One person told me that if I wanted to talk to her to reach out because she has all the qualifications I was looking for. Another person shared that she thinks résumés are nothing more than a way to discriminate against job applicants (you guys – – I don’t even know) but she’d be happy to accept my call. Someone else filled my in-box with questions. Yet more very easy ways to whittle down the pool of candidates getting a second look.  

In the end, I hired someone I know from within the Association. In a way it was a networking connection just as the coaches in the group recommend. Someone I “know” and someone I have worked with before as a volunteer. 

Is my experience typical? If my personal friends in the industry are anything to go by – yes.  Because my friends know what I do, I regularly enjoy their, “Margaret, you aren’t going to believe this!” stories when trying to fill roles. And I’m sure it’s even worse for people with large roles to fill!  

This is such a pivotal time for our industry. In a way, we’re faced with many of the same issues that we’ve always faced – a fight for legitimacy and awareness. But it’s nuanced with AI now in a way that feels almost threatening.  

That said, I’ve never felt more positive about where our industry can go. Job seekers need help and from the tiny snapshot I’ve seen, a lot of it. It’s not just the job seekers who need you – you are going to be pivotal for the recruiters and hiring managers to find the RIGHT candidates.  And the job market just isn’t going to improve soon, not with the chaos we’re seeing with layoffs and AI clogging applications and “bad operators” (as CDCS Director Robin Reshwan would say) out in the marketplace.  

I have to be candid, this was exhausting. It was interesting and enlightening, but I really don’t want to have to do it very often. I’ll stick to my day job.

What Career Professionals Need to Understand Now: the 2026 Job Market Shift

Written by stephanie on . Posted in Blog, Business Development.

In early 2026, the job market tells a deceptively simple story. On the surface, the numbers appear steady. Job growth continues. Unemployment remains relatively low. By traditional measures, this is a stable employment environment.

But the lived experience of job seekers – and the professionals who support them – suggests something more complex.

Applications are going unanswered. Hiring timelines are stretching. Roles are posted, only to be paused or quietly disappear. Even highly qualified candidates are finding themselves stuck in a cycle of effort without traction.

This is not a contradiction. It is a shift in the market.

 

A Stable Market—With a Different Feel

The latest data reinforces what many are sensing.

The U.S. economy continues to add jobs, with monthly gains averaging between 120,000 and 160,000. Unemployment remains relatively low, holding between 4.1% and 4.3%.

These are not indicators of a weak market. And yet, beneath that stability, hiring behavior has changed.

Processes are taking longer, often adding additional interview rounds and decision layers. Employers are moving more cautiously, sometimes posting roles without immediate urgency or pausing searches mid-process as priorities shift. What emerges is a market that is not contracting but becoming more selective.

For career professionals, this distinction matters. Because while opportunity still exists, access to that opportunity is no longer driven by momentum alone.

 

From Urgency to Selectivity

The hiring environment of recent years was defined by urgency. Organizations were moving quickly, often competing for talent in a constrained labor market. That urgency has now given way to discipline.

Employers are still hiring, but with greater scrutiny and a sharper focus on return on investment. Each role is being evaluated not only for necessity but for impact.

The underlying question has evolved.

It is no longer: Can this candidate do the job?
It is now: Does this role need to exist, and will this person justify it?

This shift is subtle, but it fundamentally changes how candidates are evaluated, and how we must prepare them.

 

The Economic Undercurrent

To understand this change, it is important to look beyond hiring data and into the broader U.S. landscape.

The Federal Reserve continues to maintain elevated interest rates in an effort to stabilize inflation. While this has helped cool price increases, it has also created a more cautious financial environment for businesses.

Capital is more expensive. Growth decisions carry more weight.

As a result, organizations are slowing hiring approvals, tightening budgets, and placing greater emphasis on the immediate value of each new hire.

At the same time, cost-of-living pressures remain a defining factor for many professionals. Even as inflation moderates, everyday expenses continue to influence career decisions, prompting more individuals to explore new opportunities – often quietly and strategically.

This dynamic – organizational caution paired with individual urgency – is shaping the tone of today’s job market.

 

Technology as a Catalyst, Not a Disruption

Layered into this environment is the continued evolution of artificial intelligence.

While much of the public conversation centers on job displacement, the more immediate reality is one of redefinition.

Routine, task-based responsibilities are increasingly automated, particularly across functions such as marketing, operations, and administrative support. In response, organizations are prioritizing roles that emphasize strategic thinking, adaptability, and cross-functional impact.

The implication is clear.

Candidates are no longer evaluated solely on what they have done, but on how they contribute to broader business outcomes.

For career professionals, this requires a shift in how we frame experience – moving beyond task execution and toward value creation.

 

Navigating Uncertainty

Compounding these trends is a broader sense of uncertainty.

An election-cycle environment, global economic considerations, and shifting industry priorities have led many organizations to adopt a more cautious, “wait and see” approach.

Hiring continues, but often with less urgency and more flexibility. Contract and project-based roles are becoming more common. Hiring processes are extending, sometimes without clear resolution.

For job seekers, this can feel unpredictable.

For career professionals, it reinforces the need to prepare clients not just for opportunity, but for ambiguity.

 

The Evolving Role of Career Professionals

In this environment, the role of career professionals is expanding. We are no longer simply helping clients navigate job opportunities. We are helping them interpret a market that is more selective, more complex, and more nuanced than it has been in years.

This requires a shift in approach.

It means guiding clients toward clarity – not just in what they can do, but in where they create the most value. It means positioning experience in terms of outcomes and impact. It means emphasizing relationships and visibility, recognizing that many hiring decisions are influenced well before a role is formally posted.

And perhaps most importantly, it means supporting clients through deeper reflection – helping them align their skills, goals, and priorities in a market that rewards intention over volume.

 

A Market That Rewards Intention

It is easy to describe the current job market as challenging. But that description misses something important. This is a market that rewards intention.

The candidates gaining traction are not necessarily those applying to the most roles. They are those who are clear in their direction, confident in their value, and able to articulate that value in business terms.

For career professionals, this is where our work matters most.

Not in helping clients do more, but in helping them move with purpose.

4 Reasons Your Top-Notch Client Didn’t Get the Job

Written by Alicia Hall on . Posted in Blog, Career Coaching, Résumé Writing.

You work so hard with that top notch client. They had a great record of accomplishment. You guided them to apply for what seemed like a perfect job.

Then came the email. Your client wants to know why they didn’t get the job. It’s so natural for them to blame themselves and you!

I wrote this article to help you deal with that situation in a way that protects your brand and gives your client renewed confidence. The information comes from my 33 years supporting rising, senior, and very senior executives. It’s not the result of a scientific survey, but I heard these ideas expressed so often, across so many industries, they seem very credible. 

You and your clients should keep two important ideas in mind as you read about these four reasons great people aren’t hired. First, both of you will never know which reason was in play. Second, even if you both did know, there’s nothing either of you could do about it. The reasons are in no particular order.

Reason #1:

There never was a job to begin with! The CEO’s son just completed his MBA. His father thinks the best place for him to get a start is in his family’s own company. Nevertheless, the organization wants to avoid any EEOC complaint. Therefore, while it’s never written down, the guidance is straightforward. Find and interview top notch clients. Take them to lunch if you want to. But you will not offer them a job. There is no job.

Reason #2:

There was a candidate with knowledge and experience your client couldn’t have. The company chose this person because they worked for a major competitor for ten years, they are the president of the industry’s professional organization, or they were on the staff of an influential legislator. 

Reason #3:

An overqualified candidate agreed to take the job readily. As you probably know, the term “overqualified” doesn’t relate to skills or knowledge directly. The company knows they cannot pay that person enough money. Even if they do sign on, it will only be a matter of time before this new team member jumps ship…and that costs the company a lot. The cost of replacing a skilled team member hovers around three times the annual salary. In addition, productivity falls off temporarily and other employees must take on responsibilities of the unmanned position in addition to doing their own jobs. 

But the applicant’s résumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile were so compelling, the hiring manager felt they had to at least reach out. 

Let’s listen in:

Hiring manager: “Hello, this is John Smith calling from the ABC Corporation. When I saw you résumé, I had to call.” 

Candidate: “I’m honored. How may I help you?”

Hiring manager: “I’ll be completely frank with you. I think you are overqualified for the position, and we can’t use you anywhere else. To be clear, we don’t think we can pay you what you are worth. You probably knew that, but you applied anyway.”

Candidate: “You’re right and I so appreciate your candor. Yes, I suspected I would have to take a significant cut in compensation. But I applied for two reasons. First, my dad lives where your job is. I’ll always give you my best, but it’s important I live a lot closer to him than I do now. Also, in my current job, I travel about ten days a month. That’s hard on me and my family. But I understand your position doesn’t require nearly the same amount of travel.”

Hiring decision maker: “This could be a winning combination for us both. Do you know your schedule well enough to suggest a day and a time for an interview?”

Both parties gain. The newcomer is closer to his dad who’s getting on in years. He’ll see more of his family. He knows there is more to life than money. 

The hiring decision maker wins. He’s getting top-notch talent at a bargain, and the newcomer is likely to stay with the company for quite some time.

Reason number 4:

Your client is too tall, too thin, the interviewer didn’t like his glasses. More likely the hiring decision maker felt the newcomer “wouldn’t fit in.” Just because the reasoning isn’t logical, doesn’t mean it won’t come into play.

There is an enormous amount written about the interview. But as I listened in on conversations at our last conference, I heard a trend away from basic interview strategy and more toward tactics. Sometimes the conversation veered toward preparing clients by having them consider certain questions and answers—particularly in preparation for algorithmic interviews. That approach seems logical enough. But in practice, I found this method produces stress and unreliability.

 

After all, to be completely successful, your clients would have to master three nearly impossible elements. First, they would have to have confidence these key questions we’re agreed upon by the overwhelming number of interviewers regardless of company size, industry, or even economic sector. In other words, they would think it very likely these specific questions would come up very often, regardless of the position for which they apply. That’s very unlikely.

Second, they would have to master these questions and the answers that go with each one. Even if there are only five or ten such key questions, the task of memorizing both inquiry and response would be intimidating. 

Lastly, such clients would have to be able to recognize those key questions regardless of the words used to form them or the order in which they appeared.

Let’s relieve some of that stress with two ideas your clients probably think of as the truth. First, an interview is a conversation between people designed to solve a problem together. And that leads to the second reassuring idea.

 

Two Ideas

Your clients have been “interviewing” successfully every day they’ve been on the job. Regardless of their job title or company they were all hired to do the same thing: solve problems. These “interviews” have a very simple structure. The boss tells a team member about a problem the company faces. The employee may ask a few questions to ensure clarity. Often, boss and employee explore tentative solutions and then adjourn to work out the details. 

That’s an interview! 

The company has a problem it wants to solve by hiring a capable person. The candidate needs to learn a little about the problem and suggest some concepts that might work. If the ideas are good, there will be more conversations (interviews) as the candidate and the hiring decision maker gain confidence that bringing on the newcomer will help solve the problem.

Now we have the major test a candidate must “pass” if the interview is to be successful. Here it is: “Did your client attempt to ask the hiring decision maker what their biggest problem was?” All the rest is tactics.

Notice how simple the standard is, how quickly it gives your clients confidence. All we ask of them is to attempt to find what the problem was. Actually, learning the problem depends as much upon the interviewer as it does the candidate. 

I’ve found something I am vain enough to call Orlando’s First Law of Employment” is a great confidence builder. Here it is:

Orlando’s First Law of Employment

Everything you hear, everything you see, as you deal with a company has been approved or condoned by the leadership…without exception.

Let’s listen in to an interview between your sales professional client who knows how important it is to learn about the company’s main problem and two hiring officials.

Candidate: “My experience in sales is broad and deep. But just as every customer has different needs, so companies do as well. Could you please tell me what sales-related problem keeps you up at night?”

The first hiring manager is capable (and was rightly impressed your client is focusing on the company’s needs): “I’m glad you asked and I know you’ll keep what you are about to hear completely confidential. We’ve dominated our market for years. We always sold on the basis of quality. Two years ago, a new competitor appeared. They sell strictly on price. When they cut their prices below what we ask for similar products, our market share dropped 10 percent in a year.”

Candidate: “That’s quite a challenge. I was called upon by the XYZ corporation to solve a similar problem. I’ll tell you what we did, how we did it, and what the results were…” (Doesn’t that sound just like the CCAR or STAR approaches you use to gather your clients’ success stories?)

Our second hiring manager is not very good at what he does. Here’s that conversation:

Candidate: “My experience in sales is broad and deep. But just as every customer has different needs, so companies do as well. Could you please tell me what sales-related problem keeps you up at night?”

Hiring manager: “Well, we pride ourselves in being a world-class industry leader. We work hard and we play hard. We under promise and we over deliver. We stand for quality every time.”

That answer shows the hiring official has no idea what problems needs to be solved. Furthermore, his bosses allow him to operate that way. Your client now knows this isn’t the company for which they want to work.

If your client is disappointed the interview didn’t go well, remind them how lucky they were! They came that close to joining a substandard company.

Helping clients prepare for the interview is based on a confidence building assumption. Your client is qualified. That’s proven each time he’s called in for an interview. Why would a company waste their time interviewing people they didn’t think qualified?

I hope this article helps you build justifiable self-assurance in every client. Collections of detailed tactics, lists of the top ten (or is it 15?) questions are worse than useless. They rob your client of self-assurance when they need it most. 

Your website may call you a résumé writer, a career coach, or both. But you are really a sounding board that helps your clients get full credit for the careers they deserve. You improve the lives of your clients and their families, often for years to come. Very few others can share that honor

News from PARWCC!

Written by Alicia Hall on . Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

 

News from PARWCC!

Written by PARWCC Leadership Team on . Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

 

News from PARWCC!

Written by PARWCC Leadership Team on . Posted in Blog, Weekly Newsletter.

 

10 Rules for Better Cognitive Design

Written by John Suarez on . Posted in Blog, Résumé Writing.

It is widely reported that most résumés get 6–10 seconds of reader attention on their first pass. Combine that thought with this one: the average adult reading speed is around 300 words per minute, which means a human reader processes about 5 words per second. A recruiter is not reading your résumé; they are sampling it under time pressure. And here are 10 ways you can capitalize on that: 

 

  1. Write for Scanning Time, Not Reading Time

In 6–10 seconds, maybe 30–50 words total are actually seen. Everything else is potential energy. Make sure every bullet reveals its value in the first 5–7 words.

  • Weak: Responsible for managing cross-functional project timelines…
  • Better: Managed cross-functional project timelines to meet fixed deadlines…

Same words, but with different front-loading. One is more likely to survive a scan.

 

  1. Treat Each Line as a 5-Word Contract

If the reader only catches the first 5 words, would they still be able to process or anticipate value? Ask this brutal question: If they stop reading right here, did I earn the next second?

  • Before: Collaborated with team members to support operational efficiency…
  • After: Improved operational efficiency by coordinating daily team workflows…

The second version pays off faster.

 

  1. Use the Perceptual Cliff Intentionally

Eye-tracking studies show that readers hesitate at dense text, long lines, and repetitive phrasing. They bail when effort spikes. By keeping bullets to 1–2 lines, varying sentence openings, and avoiding stacked prepositional phrases (for, with, by, in), you improve processing time. The guiding thought for writers is: no speed bumps in a 6-second race.

 

  1. Design for the Z-Pattern

Readers’ eyes typically move top-left, across, down, and across again. This means that from a scanning perspective, titles matter more than bullets, the first bullet under each role carries disproportionate weight, and early sections are prime real estate. Put your strongest bullet first, not chronologically or “logically.” Logic is for readers. Scanners want payoff.

 

  1. Use Word Choice That Collapses Meaning

At 300 WPM, compact words win. Compare:

  • “Responsible for the coordination of” → “Coordinated”
  • “Provided assistance with” → “Supported”
  • “Worked collaboratively to” → “Partnered”

Fewer syllables = faster processing = less fatigue = more trust.

 

  1. Reduce Cognitive Load, Not Just Length

Fewer words mean fewer decisions per second. Avoid mixed verb tenses, inconsistent bullet structure, and synonyms used just to avoid repetition. Cognitive friction is the real enemy, not strict repetition.

 

  1. Build in Rest Stops for the Eye

White space isn’t just aesthetic. Use it strategically by writing clear section headers with consistent spacing, and avoiding extra paragraphs disguised as bullets. If the eye can rest, the brain stays engaged.

 

  1. Assume the First Read Is a Yes/No Filter

The first pass answers only one question: “Is this person worth deeper attention?” The résumé doesn’t need to explain everything. It needs to justify a second read. That’s it.

 

  1. Write Like You’re Paid Per Second (Because You Are)

At 5 words per second, weak phrasing wastes time and slow sentences lose readers. Fast clarity builds confidence. Every bullet should feel like: “Oh, I get it.” If it feels like work, it’s not working.

 

  1. The Quiet Power Move

Read the résumé out loud at normal speaking speed. If you run out of breath, so did the reader.

 

Understanding reading dynamics helps you get from “How do I explain my client’s experience?” to “How do I earn attention, five words at a time?”. The result is almost always better writing, rooted in respect for how humans actually read. Fast doesn’t mean shallow. It means intentional.

Even if it’s not entirely true, you’re better off thinking that you’re not writing for someone who wants to read the résumé. You’re writing for someone who is deciding whether to keep reading.